Folding table



L. NOLTY FOLDING TABLE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. n, 1922.

Patented Jfily 4,1922

siren "rates FATENT CCDFEEKCT LEWIS NOLTY, OFLANGASTER, EENNSYLVANIA.

FOLDING TABLE.

iaaraai.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 41, 1922.

Application filed March 11, 1922. Serial No. 542,996.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Lnwls NoLTY, a c1t1 'zen of the United States, and resident of which requires a light, simple, but firm structure, which can be easily folded so as to. occupy but little space, but can be quiclrly unfolded and made operative for practi- Tables that fold are often fragile and weak and incapable of standing. much abuse, and hence the chief object o f .the invention isv to make an improved oint or connection between the legs and the table,

' so that the legs will strongly supportthe cause the table. to collapse. ,other objects inview the invention may be top and willhaveno tendencyto become dislocated or to prematurely fold up and With this and said to consist essentially in the construction, arrangement and comb1nat1on of parts,

substantially as will be hereinafter de scribed and claimed.

, In the accompanying drawing illustrating my. invention said topindicated in dotted outline.

, Figure 2 is a vertical elevation sectioned on the line 2, 2, of Figure l, and

Figure 3 is ayertical sectional elevation of the same on the line 3, 3, of Figure 2,

the section being at right angles to the plane of the section 2, 2.

. Figure 4 is a horizontalsection on the line 4, 4, of Figure-2,

Figure 5 is a side elevation, partly-sectioned the same as Figure 2, of the same parts as are shown in Figure 2, but showing one leg folded up under the top, and securely held there in the position assumed thereby when the table is shut up inreadiness to-be put away.

itionary vertical fixed attachments on table whichare adapted to enter the Figure 6' is a vertical section on the line 6, 6, of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a horizontal sectional bottom plan on the line 7 7, of Figure 6.

7 It-will usually be provided with a verticalflange or ledge, or edge piece 2, running around the four sides or edges, and of any width and thickness, said ledge assisting to provide corner recesses 1 at the four corners of the top 1, where the legs 3 are jointed to the top 1. These legs may be of any length, shape and size, but I preferably make them square in cross-section and provide portions thereof adjacent to top 1 with longitudinal slots, cross-cuts or kerfs 1 and d, which are cut at an angle, usually a .rightanglm'to each other, and cross each other at'the center of the leg, said slots having a moderate length from the end of the leg longitudinally into and through the same, and. dividing the leg into four square sections, or pins, as shown.

In each corner 1 is a rigid metallic member, consisting essentially of a pair of intersecting cross-plates 6 and 7, plate 6 being considerably longer than plate 7, which plates are held rigidly in the corners 1 by Figure 1 is a horizontal bottom plan-of the tabletop, with the places for theim proved jointsthat connectthe legs with suitable means, and which thus provide stathe leg slots/ 1 and P accordingly as the legs are manipulatedto cause such an engagement. These plates are soldered or otherwise secured together, and they form at their juncture as it were four pockets, channels, or guides ina socket construction to receive the four cleft sections of the legs 3. Said fixed members have suitable flanges or ears to enable themi-to be fastened to the table top 1 and the side ledge 2 thereof; thus at one point an ear 9 projecting from the intersectingp'lates 6 and 7 is secured by a screw or. other means to the top 1, see Figures 2, 5 and? at another point the edge of plate 6 adjacent to ledge 2 has a flangelO which is secured by screws to the ledge 2; and then again an edge of plate 7 has a turned over section 11 that is parallel to a part of plate 6 andhelps to form one of the'four channels. and said section 11 has a flange 12 that is secured by screws or otherwise to the ledge 2, see Figures 3, 4c and 6. The pockets or channels around the j u'fict'u'r'e o'f pla'tesh and 7 are more'or less open but may be closed vor not as preferred to receive the fourcleft members of the leg.

Two "of "the four s uare pins "or subdivisions into which eachleg is .cut ker-fs 4c and 4 are connected by a pin "5 passing horizontally through 'the ,leg, tsee Figure 4, and said pin 5 also passes through 'a-slot 8 inipl-ate 6, with which it ,remains ,perma- 'nently engagechso thatin this way the :lelgis loosely hung on the cross "member, and is vmanually adjustable from an active .to an inactive position orithe reverse. 'Thesslot 8 is U-shaped, 'one leg thereof .e'zitending through plate 6, and thus between two of "the square channels, while the 'otheri'legof ithe Uslot extends through plate 6 between the other two channels. Byi'n'anipulating the le'gs,'they can b'ejguicledfhy'the movement of their pin '5 "in thefslots, so asgto transfer them from a'po'sition where 'the plates '6 and "7 {enter the slots 4 and 4 to a {position at right angles thereto where the legs slots are disengaged from theiplates, that is to say from the position shown in Figure 2 to that shown in Figure 5 orthe reverse.

The operation will'be plainly evident from ,my description of the construction and -ar rangement of the parts. In-Figure a leg 3 is shown in itsposition when the table .is unfolded "and the four legs support the top 1 in =us'eful,position, Here theslots 4 and 4 are engaged with the intersecting plates 6 and? and the four sections oripins of the quadruple leg occupy the four channels or right-angled spaces around the intersection of theplatesb and7,the,pin'5 at this time beingat-theouppe'rend of one ofthe legs ofithefU-slot 8, said pin being now horizontal. :The rigid crossjplates hold the leg absolutely firm so thatit'ca'n'not become displaced. [Also if the top 1 of the table is lifted l use fiat V-springs I3, {13, secured Ton ledge 2 and bearing against the leg to prevent the leg from droppingjaway'ffro'mgthe socket piec'e, see Figure 2. Each leg "when extended -'for us i fcau'se'd .to receiv the crossflplates "6 and 7 in the slots 5t ialid I4,

} and in so doing'the leg'willibe'slidahh endwise on said plates towards the-top 1 until 7 the end of the leg cdfl es' intoicontactwithjthe under side of the said top, The'lgs' in this position will uphold "the Itop very securely and effectively and :there will be'no danger that a leg will become bent under or-'foth a' rwise idisarran'ged to allow the top-"to fall. Obviously a description ofth'e a'etionoffone lle'g applies to all. When, moreoven'thetable is to befolded,the-'legswilhbe d'ra'wn away .from the top 1,j"and disengaged Jfromthe cross- 'pla te members, "and then turned {through an angle 0)? ninety degrees-and folded up under the top 1, as shown in Figure 5, where they can be temporarily cal details may be made without exceeding the scope of the invention and I desire all sneedful liberty of making such changes. Especiallylma-y &1 modify the form and construction fof, the rigid cross vmembers that depend below the top andengage the slotted :ends of the-legs. I

0 'Having thus described myinventiomwhat -1 claim as 'new and desire to secure by Letters Ba-tent, is: V

'1. in a folding table, :the combination Withthe top 'of'a fixed depending cruciform 'member thereon consisting of intersecting plates one of which has a U-slot, and a table leg slotted to engage saidplates, and having :a.pin engaging the U-slot. V

e 2. In a folding table, the combination with a top, of the legs, andmeans for joiningthe legs to the top consisting essentially of corner members composed of angularlyrelated vertical .plates rigid with the top, oneof said plates having a U-slot and'both adapted to :enter longitudinal slots in the legs when the table is unfolded and to be withdrawn therefrom when the table is folded, and ,pins onthe legs engaging the various U-slots.

3. In a'folding table, the combination with rthetop, of the legs, and means for jointing the legs to the top consisting essentially of singularly-related vertical plates rigid with the top and adapted to-enter longitudinal slots in-theflegs when the table is unfolded and to 'be withdrawn therefrom when the table is 7 folded, and means forlhingin'g the legstosaid plates comprising pins carried ithefplates.

4. In a foldingtabledthe combination with the top, of the legs, and means forjointing thelegs to the top, consisting essentially of :a "pair of plates whose .meinbers intersect. ieaohfotherat right angles, forming sockets "between them, and adapted to enter rightangled intersecting -slots ,in;the=,legs, said legsha'ving pins entering curved slots in the plates so as to beweasily slidable and fold- 5. In afolding-ta'ble, the combination with fthejtop, of the legs, 'andme'ans for jointing the'l'egs to the top consisting essentially of angularly-related vertical ,platels ,rigid with the top and adapted to enter lon itudinal 7. In a folding table, the combination With the top, of leg-holding members consisting of plates intersecting at right angles, one of said plates having a U-slot and legs lon- 15 gitudinally slotted at right angles to engage the plates, and provided With a pin that functions in the U-slot.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

LEWIS NOLTY. 

